Travel Tip: Opera in EnglandMonkey: Journey to the West

Monkey: Journey to the West

Monkey: Journey to the West ENGLANDLONDON • Royal Opera House Covent Garden • Ongoing

Monkey: Journey to the West is an adaptation of a 400-year-old classic of Chinese literature. In Monkey, a cast of more than 60 Chinese opera performers, gravity-defying acrobats and martial arts performers animate the fabled peregrinations of the Monkey King in a mix of adventure, mystery and magic.

Damon Albarn, former front man of the British pop band Blur and co-creator of the virtual band Gorillaz composed the music. Jamie Hewlett, Albarnís co-creator from Gorillaz, is responsible for the visual concept of the show which includes animation and literally hundreds of costumes. Monkey: Journey to the West is directed by the Chinese Chen Shi Zheng.

This reworked version is accompanied by an orchestra of Western and traditional Chinese instruments. Performed in Mandarin with English surtitles.